Breaking Free

Ever felt smothered by everyone else's idea of what your life should be like? Have you ever just wanted to say "Stop! It's my life!" to those closest to you? We all have, haven't we? I bet you were too afraid to do it though. So you kept your mouth shut, and did exactly what you always told yourself you would never do: you followed the rules set by people who don't really know you, and let THEM control your life. But what could happen if you finally just said no? If you decided to follow your own dream? Would something amazing happen? Would you fall in love? Would you find what you've been looking for your whole life? What could happen if you just...broke free?

57. The Syco Ball

Hello beautifuls!! Just wanted to clue you guys in on what the girls' dresses looked like! So here they are:

^^That's Belle's!!

^^And that's Kaylie's :) Enjoy the update and make sure to comment!! Much love xx

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"Niall are you and the Costa Heiress a couple now?!"

"Belle why aren't you here with Louis?!"

"Harry are you cheating on Louis with Kaylie or is she cheating on him with you?!"

"Is Belle breaking up One Direction?!"

These questions and many others were thrown out as soon as Belle, Niall, Kaylie, and Harry entered the Syco Ball. The media was only allowed access to the front entrance for pictures. The four friends ignored the questions though, simply smiling and waving at the cameras. Belle held on tight to Niall's arm, getting more and more nervous by the second. He noticed, and immediately grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers, smiling down at her.

Belle looked up and caught Niall's eye, seeing how happy he was. She desperately hoped he couldn't see the anxiety behind her eyes, but she knew he had when his smile started to fade. Belle leaned up and kissed him lightly on the cheek just as they entered the front entrance though, and the smile came rushing back, Niall beaming as if it were Christmas.

Cameras started flashing relentlessly at the innocent kiss, paps throwing out ridiculous questions. Belle knew what she was walking into though, she wasn't going to worry herself over the media at this point. The only person she was worried about was Louis, and how we would react. And more importantly, what he would say or do to Niall once he realized.

The foursome entered the massive ballroom, Kaylie and Harry just behind Niall and Belle. Belle smiled to herself when she heard them giggling away. She was happy that her friends were happy. And not at all jealous that they could just be together with no drama attached.

Belle and Niall turned around to face their friends, Harry grinning down at Kaylie with his arm draped around her waist. Kaylie was still looking around in awe at all the famous artists in the room, forgetting for a moment that she was dating Harry Styles from One Direction.

"You wanna meet them?" Harry asked, as if it were the most simple thing in the world.

Kaylie's head snapped up so fast it cracked, and Niall and Belle burst into a fit of laughter at her quick reaction.

Harry started to object as Kaylie literally pushed him forward, but he was actually thrilled to be able to make Kaylie so happy.

As they were left alone together in the crowded ballroom, Belle and Niall faced each other, smiling.

"Y'know the whole room is looking at us, right?" Niall asked, leaning down to speak into Belle's ear, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

Belle looked down at the ground and smiled. "Yeah." She said softly, looking up at him with a serious expression. "But I don't care. Let them look."

Niall's eyebrows went up. "Really? You know the pictures people are taking of us right now are going to be all over the internet, there's going to be videos, and gifs, and we will most likely set some trends on Twitter too. And it won't all be nice." He said with a serous tone.

Belle thought for a moment before taking in a deep breath and taking another step closer to Niall, their chests almost touching. "I don't care. I'm choosing to be with you Niall, and I don't care what other people say. They don't know me, they don't know my heart. So let them say what they want." She smiled meekly. "Because I'm going to make myself happy for once." She looked down again for a moment, her cheeks flushing red. "And I'm happiest when I'm with you." She added with a light smile, looking up at Niall's perfect features.

Niall beamed, looking down at the girl he had been pining away for since he first laid eyes on her almost a whole year ago in New York City.

"You're amazing, you know that?" He asked, still grinning.

Belle blushed. "Yeah, but I like it when you remind me." She replied cheekily.

Niall laughed and took Belle's face in his hands. They could hear the whispers around them and they knew people were staring, but it didn't matter to either of them in that beautiful, perfect moment.

Just as Niall leaned in and their lips were about to touch though, a familiar angry voice made the couple jump apart. But the anger wasn't towards them, at least not directly.

"How could you not have told me?! That's something I deserved to know, Harry!"

Niall and Belle both snapped their heads towards Louis' voice, as did almost everyone else in the ballroom. Louis was standing in front of Kaylie and Harry, Harry with his arm protectively around Kaylie's waist. He stood tall, while Kaylie looked down at the ground in shame, leaning into his strong frame.

Harry said something in a low voice to Louis, which looked like, "You need to calm down," but Belle couldn't tell for sure.

"And you!" Louis directed towards Kaylie. Belle and Niall could see Harry visible tense up as Louis addressed his girlfriend in such a rude tone. "The only reason you're even here is because you and I were friends first, but now you're teaming up with my ex girlfriend and hooking her up with my best mate!"

"Louis I'm sorry, it's not like that, you don't understand--"

"Bullshit I don't understand. I..."

Louis continued to fuss at Kaylie, his anger radiating throughout the room. That's when Belle had had enough.

"Belle? Belle what are you doing?" Niall hissed, trailing after Belle as she pulled away from him and stormed across the ballroom. She weaved in and out of various famous artists - resisting the urge to fangirl - towards Louis.

Niall stayed close behind, looking around nervously as every single official media personnel took pictures of the unfolding drama in front of them. All the other artists watched as well and he smiled and nodded awkwardly at them as he passed. Belle wasn't concerned with any of that though.

"Belle, Belle wait this isn't--" Niall cut himself off as Belle walked right up to Louis, standing behind him so that everyone else in the room could see her, just not him.

Harry and Kaylie looked over Louis' shoulder at their friend, Kaylie going pale.

"Louis." Belle said firmly, getting his attention.

Louis cut himself off at her voice, freezing mid-shout. He slowly turned on his heel and made eye contact with Belle.

She was standing just two feet in front of him, her arms crossed and her hip jutted out. She looked flawless, even when she was mad. Louis' jaw clenched tightly shut though when he saw Niall a few feet behind her, rocking back and forth and looking anywhere but at him.

"Stop glaring at him." Belle demanded, making Louis snap his attention back to her. He opened his mouth to say something smart back to her but she beat him to it. "Just stop Louis. You're making a scene, the whole world might as well be in here watching. Now as soon as this godforsaken Ball is over, you can come over and scream and yell and pitch a fit all you want. But until then, we're going to smile and pretend nothing is wrong, and you're going to stop lashing out at your friends, who I know you care about." She straightened up and held her chin high as she continued. "I have an album coming out in five months and my career hasn't even officially started yet, so I'd rather not have a bad reputation before I can even make a good one. Can you at least give me that Louis?"

Louis faltered. He hadn't even considered that point. Belle was in attendance here because she was signed with Syco just like him and the boys. She hadn't even really made a name for herself yet, and here he was, potentially ruining any chance at her future career. They both knew good and well that the majority of her fanbase would most likely be Directioners since she was so connected to the boys, and if Louis was making a scene and seeming as though he hated Belle, all of his fans would follow suit.

She would crash and burn, there was no doubt about that.

And no matter how furious Louis was with Belle and Niall at this point, he was too good of a man to jeopardize Belle's hopes and dreams.

But it didn't mean he wasn't still furious.

"Fine." Louis hissed, looking around the room and seeing all the stares. "I won't make a scene." He plastered on a fake smile, never breaking eye contact with Belle. He stepped up closer to her and she immediately stutter stepped backwards. "I won't ruin your career if you don't ruin mine."

Belle's jaw dropped, her eyes softening. "Louis, I-I would never--"

Louis scoffed, rolling his eyes. Then he hit Belle with a low blow that she never saw coming.

"How do I know that for sure? After all, you are your father's daughter, Costa." He spat.

Kaylie gasped, and Harry's eyes shot up. That had been a cheap shot, and even Louis knew it. It was too late to recover though.

Belle was frozen on the spot, her expression not having changed. Had he really just said that? She knew that Louis pretty much despised her here lately, especially since he realized that she and Niall were together when they walked in just a few minutes ago, but to bring up her biggest insecurity? Louis knew fully well how ashamed Belle was to have had Damian Costa as her father, and he also knew that her entire life was devoted to being as unlike him as possible.

She never would have imagined that Louis Tomlinson, the first guy she ever loved, would hit her right in the deepest, darkest part of her heart, shattering it to a million pieces in less than a second.

Finally, Belle's expression changed. Her eyes fluttered, glassing over. She took in a shaky breath and weakly smiled, knowing that cameras were on her. She made eye contact with Louis, who's face turned to that of instant regret, seeing how torn she was.

"You're right Louis." Belle whispered, holding back tears. "I am my father's daughter. I have to live with that fact every day, and it kills me on the inside." She took in a deep breath and tried to sound as though she weren't falling apart, when she really was. "But I'm also a person. With feelings, that you just destroyed. The Louis that I knew and loved would never have said that to me." She shook her head sadly, looking down at the ground.

Belle looked up slowly. "No." She said simply. "I don't love you anymore. I love the Louis that you used to be." She shrugged her shoulders in feigned nonchalance, though she was really holding back tears. "And perhaps this is all my fault, since I'm not the same Belle either. I guess we both changed Lou."

Louis' mouth parted, not being able to think of the right words to say at this point. Kaylie inhaled sharply from behind them as Belle leaned forward and kissed Louis on the cheek. Then, without a second glance at him, Belle turned around on her heel and walked away from Louis, and towards Niall.

Niall graciously offered his arm out to her, a sad smile on his face. Belle took it gladly and they walked away, disappearing into the crowd of people.

Louis hadn't moved, looking at the spot where Belle had just been standing. Louis knew that Belle was with Niall now, and he knew that she really disliked him at the moment. But the one thing that had kept Louis going this whole time was hope.

Hope that Belle still had a place for him in her heart somewhere, that he still had a chance to get back to the way things were.

But that hope had just been shattered.

Harry pulled away from Kaylie and slowly walked up behind Louis. He placed his hand on Louis' shoulder, making his friend jump.

"I'm sorry mate." Harry said quietly.

Louis turned around slowly and looked at his friend, his eyes downcast. He saw Kaylie out of the corner of his eye, her hand over her mouth as she struggled to keep from crying.

"Me too." Louis said hoarsely, looking over his shoulder at the sea of people where Belle had just disappeared with Niall.

Louis' next words were such a low whisper that no one else in the room heard him. But it didn't matter. The fact was, he said them.